By fizzypigg, Aug 16 2017 12:04PM

Fizzy Pigg recently secured our first ever US sale. And let us tell you, it felt damn good. In fact, never has asking for airmail at the local post office been so exciting.

As a Yorkshire business, we’ve grown our reach through networks such as the wonderful Etsy Sheffield Group. We have run pop-up shops in Sheffield, taking stalls at Christmas markets and selling our products in shops dedicated to promoting independent creators.

There will always be customers who want to see, touch, shake and smell a product before they buy it, so having a ‘presence’ offline has worked for Fizzy Pigg. To be frank though, this alone isn’t winning us new international customers.

We know there’s a big ol’ world out there and we also know there is a space on everyone’s wall for a Fizzy Pigg hoop. Like most of you who are creating and painting, sewing and stitching - Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest are like close relatives to us now. We post daily, we share our world - not just our products - and we reach new customers through digital marketing channels. What we’re really excited about right now though is influence. Or more specifically, the influence of Sarah Knight, our absolute new gal pal hero.

You probably know about influencer marketing, it’s been around for a while and the professional bloggers amongst you are probably influencers yourselves (if you are, I AM JEALOUS. Just saying). Basically, influencer marketing is designed to use somebody’s status and reach to sell a product or service, to their fans and followers.

We totally did some influencer marketing, without meaning to. And it worked.

Remember the hoop we mentioned at the start of this blog, the one that’s on its way to the States? We sold that hoop because Sarah Knight, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k (if you haven’t read it, do this immediately), saw our Insta post (below) of a hoop based on her first book (which we’re a little bit obsessed with), and commented with her approval and gave us a share. That alone was enough to grab the attention of one hoop-seeking, no f**k giving, BRAND NEW AMERICAN CUSTOMER.

Can we get a high five??

OK. So we’re not on world domination levels just yet. But we’re really excited, and proud. We are a small, independent business based in Sheffield. We don’t have a marketing budget, we can’t advertise across the world. But, like all you independent makers out there, we have a product that we believe has a place in the world.

So Sarah Knight, if by any chance you are reading this - thank you for helping us to win our first American customer. Also, can we be friends please?